There’s an open invitation to everyone to come and see what’s on offer at Washford Station, the home of the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust, on Saturday 17th March 2012.

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Entry to the attractions at Washford will be free although a donation to the Trust’s funds will be welcome. Visitors will be able to look round the newly redecorated Museum with its large collection of memorabilia of the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway and see the workshop where restoration work on an 1886 ex S&DJR passenger coach is taking place. The coach was rescued from Templecombe Cricket Club where it had been serving as a pavilion.

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Also open to visitors will be a reconstruction of the original Midford Signal Box, the first station out of Bath on the S & D, now housed in the original Washford Station Signal Box and a signal box from Burnham-On-Sea. Various other items of signalling equipment will also be on view as well as examples of a peat works railway that once operated on the Somerset Levels.

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March 17th is the first day of the West Somerset Railway Spring Steam Gala which runs on March 17-18 and March 22-25.

It is hoped a demonstration goods trainhauled by ex GWR 2-6-2 ‘Prairie’ Tank Engine 5553, owned by Pete Waterman, will also be carrying out shunting demonstrations at Washford, not just on March 17th but on all dates of the Gala.

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Members of the Trust will be present to explain the work of the Trust and show visitors around the site as well as explaining the benefits of joining the Trustand perhaps becoming a volunteer at Washford, either as a museum and shop volunteer or helping with carriage and wagonrestoration work .

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Opening times are from 10 am to 5 pm.

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The Trust has been based at Washford for nearly 40 years and leases the site from the West Somerset Railway which runs regular trains into Washford Station on its line from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead, so visitors can enjoy the full railway experience by travelling to Washford by train. Details of Gala train times and other timetable information can be obtained from the WSR tel. 01643 704996 or email info@west-somerset-railway.co.uk.

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You may even be hauled by the Trust’s ex S&DJR 7F steam locomotive which regularly runs on the West Somerset Railway.The Trust also owns a Peckett 0-4-0 steam locomotive called ‘Kilmersdon’ which once operated at a colliery of that name on the North Somerset Coalfield , ‘Kilmersdon’ is currently out of service as essential maintenance work is being carried out.

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The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust is dedicated to preserving the memory of the railway which ran from Bath to Bournemouth with branches to Wells, Bridgwater and Burnham-On-Sea. The line closed in 1966 as a result of the Beeching Report. It is still one of the best loved of the lines which are no longer running with memories of steam trains climbing the Mendips carrying both passengers and freight , many of which were captured on film by legendary photographer the late Ivo Peters. A number of Ivo’s books and films, now on DVD, are available in the Trust’s shop at Washford along with many other books and items of interest.

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So why not come along to Washford and see what’s on offer, you may even decide to join us !